Limber up for an all-new beat ’em up from the team behind the definitive Mortal Kombat series.

Fight as DC Universe icons such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn in a battle where good and evil are redefined.

Wreak havoc in fully destructible environments – smash through the walls of the Batcave and the Fortress of Solitude to reveal secret areas.

A tale of two cities

Injustice: Gods Among Us takes place in a dark version of the DC Comics Universe. Metropolis has been destroyed by a nuclear blast, and a police state formed in order to prevent further tragedy. Many of the superhumans have supported this new regime, while any who have stood in its way have been declared outlaws.

A desperate resistance group has one last hope; a portal to a different universe where Metropolis survived the devastating disaster. They use this to pull in heroes and villains who have not been affected by the new order. The result is multiple versions of fan favourite superhumans such as Batman and Wonder Woman all existing in the same world. These duplicates often have opposing ideologies, allowing for a number of entertaining and otherwise unlikely battles.

This unique timeline also offers different ways to balance everyone's superpowers, including a superhuman strength enhancement. With characters like The Joker suddenly able to stand toe-to-toe with even the most powerful heroes, all bets are off as the fight for freedom begins in this PlayStation 3 beat ‘em up.

When superhumans go to war

Injustice: Gods Among Us on PS3 makes great use of DC Comics' iconic heroes and villains by twisting expectations of each character to craft its story. This, combined with a new visual look to draw the varied cast together, creates an experience that feels both familiar and new.

Every fighter gets their own moment to shine in the Story mode. Seeing how heroes react to the dimension-hopping events is exciting - some characters, such as the monstrous Bane, follow the new regime unquestioningly, while others are willing to put themselves on the line to defend freedom. With the heroes and villains reacting unpredictably, some unexpected alliances are formed.

Characters are divided into two categories: power and tech. Power fighters use their natural skills, while the tech characters rely on gadgets and other items. For example, Superman is able to call upon power based abilities like heat vision, while the tech based Batman draws on grapples and batarangs to get the job done.

From the likes of Ares and Lex Luthor to Hawkgirl and Green Arrow, each character adds depth to the combat with their distinctive visual styles, moves and abilities.

Icons come to life

The action of Injustice: Gods Among Us is fluid and brutal. Three attack buttons are at your command, allowing for a range of moves and combos. How each character fights depends on their size and strength. Some, like Catwoman, land a huge number of light blows in quick succession, while Solomon Grundy's attacks are ponderous yet devastating.

To complement their standard punches and kicks, each character possesses a variety of special moves to dish out extra damage. The assassin Deathstroke, for example, uses long-range attacks to control the fighting space, while more brawlers such as Doomsday have to close the gap to be effective.

Characters also interact differently with the environments. Stronger fighters are able to throw parts of the scenery, while others make use of their speed and cunning. Villains prove especially fierce during bouts. The Joker's brutality stands out, as he uses a number of vicious weapons in his assaults, including crowbars and guns.

To get you up to fighting speed, check out the tutorial to learn the basics, while the S.T.A.R. Labs mode offers a range of character based challenges to help with the more advanced tactics, a vital tool for when you're ready to compete against other players.

Learn, train, compete

Whether you're playing with friends at home or via PlayStation Network, Injustice: Gods Among Us offers the chance to create some wonderful rivalries.

Developer NetherRealm Studios is a master of making you feel like you're on top of the world when you triumph over a friend in a fighting game. Its Mortal Kombat series offers a fantastically physical feel for combat, and the same goes for Injustice: Gods Among Us.

There are two online game modes, in addition to the standard one-on-one battles: King of the Hill and Survival. King of the Hill sees a group of fighters matched together, taking it in turns to try and become King by toppling the current champion. The longer the King remains victorious, the more experience they gain, allowing them to unlock extra items and costumes. Survival is similar to this, the twist being that your energy is not recovered between fights, so the leader must be even more careful to remain on top.

With daily online challenges and player rankings, Injustice: Gods Among Us keeps you coming back for another bout. Be sure to keep practising, because the competition is superhuman.